The Paper Fan and The Death God
by Egg Emperor
Summary: " From now on we are partners Uchiha, I Naruto Uzumaki, Vice Shinigami of the Land of Fire hereby swear this to you Sasuke. You cannot and will not die, until such time as Itachi is dead by your hand." " And I Sasuke Uchiha, Last of the Uchiha swear this to you Naruto. In return for your power I will avenge you by destroying the Village that murdered you." Not a Bleach crossover.
1. Prologue: Birth by Death

**It was an accident, the consequence of someone not thinking that took the life of the blond. And it was the will of the blond that prevented the death of the black haired youth. At a price of course. Death is what brought them together. Death shaped their lives and ended them. In one case figuratively, in the other quite literally. And Death is what they both desired, the Death of those who brought Death upon them.**

**I claim no ownership of the Naruto franchise or any of its components.**

**The Fic is rated T for Teen (For now) It contains semi-mature themes, including: Character Death, violent imagery, blood, mentions of the use of tobacco and alcohol as well as some foul language. ****NOT A BLEACH CROSSOVER**

**The Paper Fan and The Death God**

**A Naruto Fan Fic **

By Egg Emperor

**Prologue **

**Birth by Death**

**August 7****th**** 3:58 PM (6 Years before Present) - Konoha- Central District **

It was an accident really. No one wanted this to happen… but happen it did. The poor boy, he didn't deserve what happened. It was felt acutely across the large city, the loss of the smiling blond. His bright blue eyes that would never more glint in the sun. His sparkling teeth that were usually found in a mischievous grin, that smile would never more be seen in Konoha. The flashes of bright orange and blurs of blue racing around corners after pulling some mischief, the worn goggles nestled among golden hair, they were gone forever now.

It wasn't fair the people realized in hindsight what they did to him. But, they were angry, they still felt the pain and the loss of that horrific night that had occurred nearly eight years ago. No the boy wasn't the monster that attacked their village and took the life of their beloved leader and so many others, they knew that. But he was its jailer, its living prison. The orphan provided something the people of the village desperately needed, an outlet a scapegoat for their anger and hate. Perhaps some may have justified it by saying that by hurting the boy they were also hurting the fox inside him. That of course was nonsense but when faced with the horrors of either disaster or their own misdeeds people will often cling to whatever misguided notion can offer them comfort.

The boy in his short life had been mistreated; the people would glare icy stares and throw hateful words as well as any nearby debris at the child when he passed by. And the child in turn would retaliate by playing pranks and causing other manners of mischief around the town. Cats in the Inuzuka kennels, bug bombs hurled into the Aburame compound. Oxen kept finding their way into various china and glass curio shops. The Hokage monument was covered with paint these days more often than not. Once during the Fire Lord's annual visit; a very large poster of an immodestly dressed woman found itself pasted to the south side of the Hokage tower.

This particular time, a plague of frogs had descended on the public baths. After all the screaming and yelling. Finally when the confusion and bedlam had died down, the gang of angry bathers set off to find the likely culprit; with many irate shop owners and incensed common citizenry joining the mob along the way.

They finally cornered their prey someways down, near the center of town not more than a block or two from the tower where the aged Hokage watched over his village.

The young boy let out a squeak of surprise at his being caught and began to nervously rub the back of his yellow wreathed head, his crystal blue eyes wildly searching for a way out of the mess his latest prank had placed him in. He knew it was but a matter of seconds before he would be chased across town and pelted with all sorts of random trash by the victims of his latest gag. Thought the bruises from his encounters often faded within a day and the worst he suffered was a black eye from a thrown boot and perhaps a few nicks and cuts from a stick or rock; these encounters were never the highlight of his existence.

Unfortunately for the child, this time would be different, far different. He had gotten himself into a stickier situation than usual. He was cornered in a narrow alleyway that linked two larger streets, the irate mob approached picking up rocks and sticks, cans and other bits of garbage from the ground to throw at him. Soon the air was filled with the small projectiles, some bouncing off the walls others hitting their mark leaving sore spots that would soon bruise on the young boy's body. It was as he ran towards the other street at the end of the alley and began to turn out of the narrow space that it happened; the cruel had of fate intervened. Someone picked up a rock, it was no different from any of the others that had been thrown today. It was neither big nor small nor out of the ordinary in any way and yet, it would now define the future of the village.

The hand pulled back and the arm then rushed forward, the rock flew straight and true, striking the boy in the back of the head, just above the neck as he rounded the corner. By cruel destiny it struck a spot that was still healing from a fall the previous day. There was a sharp crack as it landed, a sound that seemed deafening even above the shouts of the angry citizens. A sharp cry escaped the child, his bright blue eyes began to dim even as he fell toward the ground. By the time his crumpled form lay upon the gravel of the street the life had all but left those azure orbs.

Gasps and cries rang out among the assembled people, the haze of their collective furry swept away in shock and horror, as crimson blood could be seen oozing from the back of the boys head.

In an instant ANBU ninja, their porcelain masks shining in the afternoon sun appeared. Two of them held back the crowd, both the mob and the gathering onlookers. The third, wearing a dog mask his silver hair gleaming, ran to the fallen boy, pulling his still form into his now shaking arms.

The dog masked ANBU was conflicted. Half of him was bent on rushing the boy to the nearest hospital, the other wanted nothing more to incinerate those responsible for the child's current state.

His fear for the child won and only seconds after he had appeared he vanished in a puff of smoke heading for Konoha Shinobi Hospital.

As he dashed from rooftop to rooftop, his arms wrapped around his precious cargo, other ANBU ninja joined him. Less than a minute later he landed in front of the Hospital doors to the greeting of four more of his corps, flanking an aged man. Dressed in his robes of red and white, a grim look on his weathered face. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, had been given word of the incident only moments ago and surprising many showed speed defying his advanced age in arriving at the Hospital.

"How is he?" the powerful and commanding voice asked. Again displaying the unnatural strength Konoha's leader possessed even in his seventh decade.

The masked man simply shook his head.

To the old man the message was clear, unknown but apparently it was at least as bad as it looked and it looked bad.

Just how bad, would be revealed when the medics took the small boy from the Black Ops soldier's arms.

They quickly placed him on a bed, one medic feeling the child's neck for a pulse the others running to get supplies. The Hokage and the dog masked ninja hovered near the bed

The head medic then waved his hand asking for assistance.

To other men joined him as he ushered his visitors out of the vicinity and closed the curtains around the bed.

Several minutes passed until finally the curtain reopened.

The three doctors were visible again around the bed. One was removing some sort of device from the child's chest, while the other simple walked away.

The other doctors were still gathering tools and supplies.

The first medic, the one who originally grabbed the boy from the ANBU ninja, then held up his hand, the simple gesture stopped the frantic movement of his collages. Many shut their eyes and looked down or turned away

The aged leader and the silver haired man looked toward the first medic as he looked back up. He simply shook his head, a grim look taking hold of his face. The faces of the two other men became just as dour, though only the Hokage's could be seen.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do… he's gone." The medic said his face pale, sweat dripping from his hair.

"His heart stopped and we couldn't seem to restart it, we'll have to wait for the autopsy to know for sure, but I suspect localized severe trauma to the brain was the cause. From where it's located." The man pointed to the back of the boy's head which was still oozing blood. "It looks like when the skull cracked a fragment was probably forced into the brain likely causing a giant bleed near the brainstem, it destroyed his ability to breathe and maintain his heartbeat."

There was a loud bang as the silver haired masked ninja punched a hole in the wall. Soon after the was the groan of bending metal, as Sarutobi had gripped the rail of the bed so hard his hand print was forced into it.

Seeing the obvious distress of both his leader and the other man the medic said one final thing before leaving the room.

"There was nothing anyone could have done, the boy was dead before he even hit the ground or shortly thereafter. Not even Tsunade-hime herself could have saved this one, so please do not blame yourselves for his passing."

And so it came to pass that on that warm summer afternoon Naruto Uzumaki son of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze the Fourth Hokage, Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox; died at the age of 7 a little over two months before his eight birthday.

**Well there you have it the prologue for **_**The Paper Fan and The Death God. **_**Yeah I know it's a bit short but I've been working on other things nonstop and had this baby in my head for a while. The beginning just came yesterday morning which is why I'm only just starting it now. That and if I don't get things down quick they usually vanish on me. I may work on the Chapter on tonight while working on **_**Silver Skies.**_** Heck if I get bored maybe I'll even write the first chapter to **_**Things that Go Bump**_**. It really all depends on my mood and how things go. At any rate I have one last thing to reiterate this is NOT a CROSSOVER FIC. I will be avoiding Bleach or any material from it as much as possible, it's cliché and it doesn't mix with colors, especially bright orange! So stay tuned for the next Chapter, Chapter 1:**_** By thy name Uchiha**_


	2. Chapter 1: By thy Name Uchiha

**Wow! That's all I can say. I know the Naruto fandom is much larger than most other fandoms that I write for but still. Although I have not gotten a review yet as I type this, this story has received more views in its first few hours of life than some of my other stories have in the past month. So I really cannot help but give the people what they want. (Note I already had most of this chapter thought out, so the fact that I'm writing it now has as much if not more to do with that, than the huge reception I've received. In other words there won't instantly be a Chapter 2 out if this suddenly explodes. I honestly haven't thought that part out… Yet anyway. But hey we have thunderstorms and clouds today [major mood booster for me, I'd swear I was some form of undead if not for my beating heart] so who knows?)**

**I claim no ownership of the Naruto franchise or any of its components.**

**The Fic is rated T for Teen (For now) It contains semi-mature themes, including: Character Death, violent imagery, blood, mentions of the use of tobacco and alcohol as well as some foul language. ****NOT A BLEACH CROSSOVER**

**The Paper Fan and The Death God**

**A Naruto Fan Fic **

By Egg Emperor

**Chapter 1:**

_**By thy Name Uchiha**_

**June 4****th**** 11:32 AM (Present Day) – Land of Waves – Great Bridge.**

Sasuke Uchiha could honestly say that he was screwed. He might be a near genius when it came to the ways of the shinobi but that wouldn't help if he couldn't at least plan ahead. And nothing had gone according to plan on this mission. It was supposed to be a simple C ranked escort mission. Guard the bridge builder, a drunk named Tazuna, and prevent highwaymen from harming him.

That fell to pieces right out of the gate, he thought as he dodged another volley of senbon. The Demon Brothers, two known assassins from the Land of Water had attacked them when they were only on the road for about 3 hours. Sai got himself sliced up real good and poisoned to boot by their claws and that Sakura… The rather useless and simpering girl on his team nearly got her heart ripped out. If he hadn't diverted the guy's blow with a kunai she'd be dead.

And it was only after that that Kakashi bother to show that he wasn't actually dead and then proceeded to wipe the ground with the bastards, he apparently thought it was okay to use his own students as bait so he could ascertain the target of the enemy ninja.

To Sasuke it was obvious, what would anyone hope to gain from attacking 3 genin and their teacher? It was the bridge builder they were after, but apparently Kakashi had to be sure. And that lead to the current assessment of his comrades.

Sai, vulgar and intolerable as he was, was a decent ninja and could be counted on to act in life or death situations. Sasuke trusted him to do what needed to be done.

'If only he would just turn down the penis jokes then everything would be perfect' the black haired boy lamented.

Sakura on the other hand was fairly useless, something he thought when he first met her and only further reinforced by recent events. She had practical knowledge but lacked to power or the skill to apply it. Furthermore she froze when placed in a combat situation. She could not be counted on to be of any assistance in battle, and since she had no knowledge of non-combat jutsu, for instance healing techniques, she was pretty much useless at best and a liability at worst.

Then there was his sensei, Kakashi was powerful, obscenely so. After the quick fall of the Demon Brothers, Sasuke assured himself that there were few people in the entire world who could match him in a fight. That was a comforting thought. He would be both protected from any lethal danger and he could learn much from this man. Much that would propel him forward towards his goal of avenging his fallen clansmen. By killing his murdering bastard of a brother Itachi Uchiha.

It was his singular goal in life, his destiny.

'It is the only reason I draw breath.' He thought.

Unfortunately for Sasuke's luck they eventually ran into a foe that could match Kakashi in the form of Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Famous as the Demon of the Hidden Mist for both his mastery of the silent killing technique as well as the way he ended the Mist village's graduation exam in a bloodbath.

Sasuke would be lying through his teeth if he said that Zabuza didn't scare him shitless. The man was a monster. Not only was he a deranged psychopath, he was monstrously huge towering over Kakashi by at least a foot. Furthermore his strength both physical and in his chakra was unfathomable. To finish it off the guy was swinging around a sword that was as long as he was tall, nearly a foot wide and probably weight about five hundred pounds at the least and he did so like it was nothing. In fact scared isn't even the right word. Terror is most like it.

Sasuke was arrogant, it was hard to admit but he was. He was the top of his class and he was better than any other genin out there. But he wasn't stupid either he knew that in this game he was nothing more than prey to the Demon of the Mist. He even was able to match Kakashi even after he revealed his Sharingan eye.

'I must have looked like a fish when he pulled down his mask… how the hell did Kakashi sensei end up with a Sharingan?' the young orphan thought.

Which made the fight against Zabuza when he captured Kakashi all the more difficult. The monstrous ninja gave of an aura of death in waves.

That he a Sai manage to pull off an offensive against the man that make him choose either to lose his arm or free Kakashi was nothing short of a miracle.

It was shortly after that that a hunter-nin from the Mist Village appeared and quickly killed Zabuza with a strike to the neck.

That later lead to them arriving in the capital of Wave country, and meeting Tazuna's rather depressing family, wherst the man came clean about Gato and the strangle hold he had on the country. It was a sad tale sure, but not sad enough that he not only cheated Konoha out of the money it would have earned for an A rank mission…

'Likely S rank now with Zabuza involved, though I doubt that Tazuna knew about him in particular. He seemed aware of the fact that assassins in general would be involved, but I don't think he would have had the details on the individuals.' Sasuke thought trying to dodge another round of needles, this time a pair struck in him in the leg.

The young shinobi winced as the needles tore into his muscles, slowing his movements even further.

But also caused a bunch of genin to be put in a position that would have certainly called for a Jonin team to be dispatched. The man's desperation place all their lives in jeopardy, something that Sasuke was pissed about.

'I'm all for testing my skills against stronger opponents a proving my worth as a ninja but I can't kill Itachi if I'm dead'. The black haired boy thought a he braced himself.

And learning from Kakashi not only was that Hunter-nin almost certainly fake and working for Gato, but that he or she was likely a partner to Zabuza who was still alive, was just the icing on the shit cake from the young Uchiha's perspective.

And that all lead to his current situation, an all-out battle between both parties on top of the unfinished bridge. Sakura was protecting Tanzuna while Kakashi engaged Zabuza, who had enshrouded the entire bridge in a deep fog like mist. He was unable to see his sensei's battle from his current vantage point. Not that he'd be watching, he had his hands full with his own battle.

Currently Sasuke was engaged with the Hunter-nin, who was much to his surprise and slight discomfort a very pretty boy instead of a homely girl as he one thought. He had erected some sort of formation of mirrors of ice and then proceeded to meld with them before appearing in all of them at once. Further the ice was much to his chagrin completely immune to his fire jutsu.

'I should have just expected that.' Sasuke thought with an exasperated breath. ' If the boy's story was to be believed the "Demonic Ice Mirrors" are formed by a powerful blood line limit allowing an **true **Ice Release to occur by combining wind and water chakra, instead of using either water that had been cooled or pre-existing ice. This meant that the ice bordered on being a supernatural substance. Even a powerful fire release jutsu was no match for something like that.'

Furthermore it appeared that it allowed Haku, as he had introduced himself, to be in multiple places at once, seeming to cast his hail of sharp senbon from every direction.

Sai was his battle partner but he was down for the count, his body covered in needles. It was when Sai fell thought that the battle changed. Sai was a vulgar pervert, but he was also Sasuke's comrade, and perhaps someone that he might someday see as a friend. The anger at seeing his team mate struck down awakened with in him his own Blood Line. The Sharingan, it wasn't complete yet by any means but by God he could see.

Haku wasn't in 9 places at once; he was simply moving far too fast for the unaided eye to see. He was warping between the mirrors before jumping from one and casting his senbon, he'd then retreat to another mirror and start the process all over again.

Sasuke had his confidence back, he could win this! Now that he could see Haku's movement he could counter attack and avoid being hit.

"Hen, this battle's over" the young ninja muttered under his breath.

That was when Haku sped up a bit and tossed a hail of senbon. Sasuke saw it coming and dodged… Or at least that what he intend to do. His body however didn't obey his commands and he was hit with a hail of metal spikes which dug painfully into his already wounded flesh.

At first he suspected that perhaps the needles were infected with some type of paralytic agent, but soon it became clear that it was in fact his own short comings that were to blame.

Sasuke's eyes widened with his revelation. Yes he could in fact see and track Haku's movements and attacks with his eyes and brain. But just because he could see the movements did not mean that he could in fact move his body at the same speed. His senses were now far superior to his reaction time. He wasn't as fast as Haku, ergo he could not dodge the attack even if he did see it coming. In short he was fucked.

The black haired boy collapsed to the ground as he was hit by another volley of needles. His body felt weak he couldn't move.

"As much as it pains me to say this Last of the Uchiha, it looks like I am the victor in this fight. Today it will not be my bloodline that fades… but yours…" Haku spoke with grim finality behind his mask as he emerged from the mirror nearest Sasuke.

"Perhaps it was your thirst for vengeance that did you in? You fight for nothing other than to gain the power to end the breath of another, while I on the other hand fight for and to protect what is precious to me. Perhaps that is the fundamental between you and I and maybe that was reason I was victorious. You have lost everything in your thirst for vengeance, perhaps if you too had something precious, something you desired to keep safe and protect then this battle would have been different." The young bishonen theorized. Before taking aim to throw a final deadly needle aimed at the Uchiha's heart.

"Good bye Sasuke…" There was a glint of silver and a flash of light and then Sasuke felt nothing.

**Author's Note**

**Yessssssssssssss… I'm evil, very, very evil. This chapter originally was set to continue for some time after this point. But when I finally got to here I just found it too good of a nail bitter to waste… Hehehehehehe! At any rate I'm stopping the chapter here. One because I've been up all night and haven't eaten since dinner nearly 17 hours ago. Furthermore I have to take a shower and walk the dog. But I'll be back… maybe (I really will). Remember when I said at the beginning of this chapter that Chapter 2 wouldn't be posted immediately… Well… I LIED! Once I'm done with lunch I'll finish the next chapter and have it posted by say 3 or 4-ish (That is if I can avoid being summoned to be my mother's chuffer, he driver's license is expired and she still hasn't renewed it so I have to take her everywhere.)**

**So see you guys (and gals) next time with Chapter 2: **_**Death is a Blond?**_

**This is Johannes The Egg Emperor over and out!**


	3. Chapter 2: Death is a Blonde?

**Sorry it's later than I promised. I sort of crashed Friday afternoon and fell asleep for about 5 hours. And since then I really have not had the motivation to write. **

**I claim no ownership of the Naruto franchise or any of its components.**

**The Fic is rated T for Teen (For now) It contains semi-mature themes, including: Character Death, violent imagery, blood, mentions of the use of tobacco and alcohol as well as some foul language. ****NOT A BLEACH CROSSOVER**

**The Paper Fan and The Death God**

**A Naruto Fan Fic **

By Egg Emperor

**Chapter 2:**

_**Death is a Blonde?**_

**X XX X:XX- Unknown **

Sasuke was falling, he knew that much. Where he was falling from and where he was falling too, were more difficult questions. As he pondered that for a minute he realized with growing discomfort that for the former he couldn't seem to remember, and as for the latter everything around him was all consuming blackness, he couldn't even be sure if his eyes were open or closed, this place seemed to have no bottom. It was just an endless void of black everywhere.

It was cold too, icy even…

"ICE!?... Haku!" the dark haired youth spontaneously yelled his thoughts into the abyss.

'I was fighting Haku, that fake hunter-nin on the bridge. It was the mission I and the rest of Team 7 were sent on.' He thought.

But where am I? The young man asked himself.

…

It was then he remembered. He had lost to Haku, he had the Sharingan but although his senses could keep up with the other ninja's speed, his body and reflexes were another story.

Did that mean he was dead? Or perhaps this was what it felt like to die?

Sasuke could suddenly feel wetness under his eyes. He was crying.

No he wasn't crying because he was afraid to die. These were not tears of fear that came from his eyes. They were tears of rage and sorrow. He had failed, he had failed to avenge his family. He was going to die, and there was nothing he could do. He couldn't believe that he was that much of a failure, that he couldn't even survive long enough to challenge Itachi.

'Failing against Itachi would be one thing' the young Uchiha thought 'My brother is a monster, both in the power he wields and twistedness of his mind'. Zabuza the man Sasuke assumed Kakashi was fighting even now as he lay dying, was a terrifying demon of a man. But even he was as nothing before what Itachi was.

"But to die here and now, not even against my brother, not even against Zabuza, but against his little pet! How!? This wasn't supposed to be like this!" the genin sobbed, hot angry tears pouring from his face. His arm lashing out against the darkness thought there wasn't anything for him to punch.

"But … there's nothing I can do is there?" he asked the darkness. It was true he couldn't defeat Haku, he was too fast and the ice protected him from any attack that might be lucky enough to hit its mark.

At that thought he pulled himself into a ball. A lonely angry ball that was descending through the endless darkness.

"So, that's it then? You're just going to give up? What about all that crap about wanting revenge?" A voice called out through the darkness, a voice that Sasuke felt was ever so slightly familiar from somewhere he couldn't recall.

"So, what happened to the 'Great Sasuke Uchiha', the avenger of his clan?" The voice said again, in a tone that was far too cheerful and mocking for Sasuke's taste, considering that he was fairly certain now that he was experiencing what it was like to die.

"What happened to … It is the only reason I draw breath?" The voice had lost its cheer and taken on a venomous tone. If the voice had a face he knew it would be sneering at him.

"Bastard! It's not like I have a choice! I don't **want **to die!" Sasuke roared back into the inky dark.

"Of course you have a choice!" The voice responded incredulously, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"If you don't want to die then don't." It responded matter-of-factly. Like it was something that Sasuke should have known, and it was surprised that he didn't.

Sasuke was at this point tired of the voice. It was beginning to wear on his already thin nerves.

"Living or dying isn't something you choose, like what to have for dinner!" He yelled back into the blackness.

"You're right, it's far more important, but just like choosing to have extra pork or extra egg on your ramen it's many times **a** choice, something you decide… ah _ramen_." The voice replied.

It didn't make sense even when Sasuke thought about it, but if the voice was to be believed then they **were** both choices apparently.

Thought that last little bit about ramen at the end was creepy. The way the voice pronounced the word ramen sounded almost… sexual, to the black haired youth. Sasuke wasn't sure he should be trusting a disembodied voice with an apparent noodle fetish.

"So how do I choose not to die then?" The Uchiha asked crossly, his already wire thing patience was near the breaking point, his natural moodiness seemed to be amplified by the obnoxious sunshine that seemed to drip from every word the voice in the darkness spoke to him.

"Well first how about opening your eyes?" The voice said.

"My eyes are open you moron!" Sasuke bit back, angry that the voice was messing with him

"… Well I hate to be a downer and all but from where I'm sitting your eyes look pretty closed to me."

Hugh? Sasuke raised his hand to his face brushing it across it…

He was stunned at the realization… 'My eyes are closed!'

As if the voice could somehow see the surprise in his thoughts.

"Jeeze, and everyone calls me an idiot…" the voice snorted.

Thinking that he might as well try and open his eyes, Sasuke did just that. And he instantly regretted it. The pitch darkness was instantly replace with blinding white. Furthermore with a sense of dread the speed of his fall picked up until in what could be only a few feet later, first his rear and then his back collided violently with the hard surface of firmament. Pain shot through him as he began to blink the water from his eyes at the sudden change in light.

Sasuke stood up and looked around. The place he was in now was as non-descript as before only now it was just an endless white void with a solid surface.

"How the hell did this happen?! This place wasn't here before!" Sasuke muttered bitterly rubbing his backside.

"That's because it only became real when you saw it." The annoyingly happy voice giggled from somewhere. Sasuke decided that at this point the voice was mocking him. It wasn't even making sense, how can you see something that doesn't already exist?

"Don't ask me heheh."

Sasuke got up and looked around for the source of the voice so he could clobber it for being an ass.

"Where the Hell are you bastard?"

"That isn't a very nice thing to say Teme."

Sasuke's eyes widened, he grabbed a kunai from his holster and whirled around, the ready to bring the throwing knife to bear on a possible attacker.

What he saw nearly caused him to drop the blade in surprise.

He had found the source of the voice. It was a boy his age, perhaps a bit younger, he had shock blonde hair and blue eyes. Around his head were a pair of goggles. Covering his chest was an orange shirt and over that a black jacket, with an equally offensively bright orange collar. He was wearing combat shorts much like Sasuke only they were black instead of beige. His wore black sandals on his feet.

Though it wasn't so much his clothes, or that he appeared to be no more than twelve or thirteen like Sasuke himself which had the Uchiha in a stupor; it was what he was doing.

The boy was leaned slightly back, with his hands resting behind his head, looped between his elbows and the back of his head was a sheathed long sword of some sort. His face was stretched in a mischievous smirk, his teeth crushed down on the cigarette in his mouth which was slightly smoldering, small wisps of smoke curling upwards from the red ember on the tip.

This would have been fine, save there was no wall for the boy to lean on and he was **floating **five feet in the air.

"How… are you doing that… who the hell are you!?" The Uchiha growled at the punkish looking boy.

The boy's smile simply widened as he pulled himself up straight and sort of just flew down next to the irate black haired youth, still hovering about a foot off the ground

"What… you mean this?" the blonde gestured to himself as he settled onto the ground.

"Hehe, Oops… I sorta forgot that humans can't do that." The kid gave a sheepish smile while he nervously rubbed the back his head.

'What's with this kid? And why do I feel like I know him?' the dark haired youth wondered as the blond turned to him his nervous smile widening back into a full beaming grin.

"Just who are you?" Sasuke again asked.

"Really Teme? You don't recognize me… that hurts" The boy gave a small pout before his face returned to bearing the same cheeky look that he had when they had first met. The smile of someone who was up to no good, Sasuke thought, studying the mischievous gleam in the boy's eyes. A prankster…

'Wait… prankster… his hair… that smile…'

"Naruto!?" Sasuke more asked than stated, a slightly disbelieving look gracing his features.

"See! I knew you'd remember me!" the boy exclaimed happily as he seemed to unconsciously levitate several inches, his face beaming with his patented million-watt smile.

Sasuke was surprised he was right, he only half guessed. He hardly expected the young man to be his former classmate, Konoha's consummate prankster. Who was acting awfully cheerful considering he was dead.

That's right… Naruto's dead. He died nearly six years ago, when a mob attacked him near the Hokage tower. Sasuke was still young at the time but by then he had already experienced his own fair share of death. Namely the murder of his entire clan at the hands of his brother. Still he did feel a twinge of sadness at the rambunctious blonde's passing. The boy's cheer was annoyingly infectious, his bright smile and obnoxious attitude could light a room.

As Sasuke thought back to early time in the academy, he wondered how he ever really forgot the annoying pest that was Naruto. At that time the boys were rivals at least according to Naruto, Sasuke on the other hand considered Naruto the way an ox might look at an overly persistent gnat. Regardless of their personal opinions they were always fighting, with words and their fists. Any physical altercation would always result in Sasuke being victorious. Even so no matter how many times Sasuke beat him up in their fights, the little dobe would be back the next day for more.

That was one of the more obnoxious and yet enduring traits of the blond. He never gave up, even when it was in his best interest to do so. He was always mouthing off, pulling pranks and yelling about he was going to be Hokage, and the greatest ninja ever. Sadly that all became impossible that one Summer's day when Naruto died.

That's right…

"You're dead… Naruto you're dead, you died 6 years ago." The Uchiha stated as though he was just now realizing the ramifications of talking to someone who was dead.

The smile fell from the blonde's face, his eyes hardened and his face took on an indescribable look. It only lasted just a moment, as quickly as the change came the blue eyed boy pasted a new if slightly less luminous smile upon his face.

"Well yeah Teme, tell me something I don't know." The blonde responded as if his current state of being was as consequential as the weather. It looked to Sasuke that he might have even yawned will saying it.

Sasuke felt a chill travel down his spine. If Naruto is dead and he is seeing him, talking to him did that mean?

"Dobe..." Naruto refocused his gaze on the Uchiha his head was bowed his fists clenched, shaking from what the blonde youth could only imagine as either fear or knowing Sasuke anger.

"Does this mean… I mean being here talking to you… Am I dead?"

"Heheheh …hahahahah…!" the blonde who at this point had resumed floating was hugging his sword in laughter. The cigarette no longer held in place by his teeth fell to the ground in a shower of sparks, as the levitating boy struggled to stop giggling.

"Bastard! This isn't funny, tell **me**! Am I dead or not!" Sasuke yelled at the laughing boy, his patients gone.

"Ah… that was a good one…" the blond gasped "It's a first really when I say this Teme… No you're not dead."

Sasuke felt a warm feeling flow through him at the blonde's words. He wasn't dead, that meant 'I still have a chance, I can still get out of this and eventually kill Itachi and avenge my clan.' He thought. He was elated, ecstatic even and that was rare thought for the normally dour Uchiha. Still his happiness flowed from the knowledge that he could still get his revenge.

"So… Dobe, if I'm not dead then where the Hell am I." the black haired youth replied tersely.

Naruto looked around and then back at his companion, his head tilted as if attempting to figure out what to say.

"You're in between life and death… I think… I'm not really sure I've never done something like this before, it's different from what I'm used to."

"Used to… what do you mean used to. You only die once right?" the gray eyed boy was slightly confused. The way Naruto was talking was as if he had dealt with death multiple times.

"Well yeah, that's what I meant earlier when I said it was a new thing to tell someone they're still alive. Shinigami aren't in the business of dealing with the living." The blonde stated off handedly, shrugging his shoulders as he floated cross legged at around head height.

**Shinigami?!**, Sasuke's mouth was gaping now. It took a lot to make catch Sasuke Uchiha off guard and even more to make him care about it but this was one of those times that surprise could simply not be concealed.

"At least I don't think we do. I'd have to ask. It's probably in one of those hand books they gave me… but studying is soooo boring… and I did enough of that back at the academy." The blonde began to whine, his dislike of studying seeming to have carried over into his new profession. He was rubbing the back of his head in a gesture that Sasuke had understood to be a marker of the blond being either confused or embarrassed.

"WAIT… hold on are you seriously telling me that you Naruto Uzumaki, the last place dobe in our academy class when you were alive are now… a… a… Death God?" Sasuke's voice almost squeaked as he finished his sentence, he would have normally been completely mortified but right now he was too preoccupied to notice let alone care.

Sasuke's demanding question snapped the blond out of his rant on the unfairness that he had to study in the afterlife.

Naruto simply let an impish smile cross his face his large canines gleamed, his glacier blue eyes sparkled. The blond stretched himself out and "stood" up straight, his right arm holding his sword such that it rested against his shoulder. To Sasuke it looked as though Naruto had even tried to puff out his chest slightly, the result was something the Uchiha could put his finger on. Naruto himself likely was trying to make himself look cool, though in Sasuke's opinion it made him just ridiculous and perhaps stupid.

"Doing that makes you look like an idiot dobe." The black hair youth responded.

"Gah…" no sooner had the muffled gasp emerged from the blonde's mouth did he fall to the floor in a face fault, seeming to lose the ability to levitate when he was embarrassed.

"Moron."

"Oww…that hurt Teme." Naruto had since gotten up and was sitting cross legged on the ground rubbing his now red face.

"So are you going to answer me or are we going to keep doing this asking twice bit?" The Uchiha grumble.

Naruto looked up at Sasuke and then slowly got to his feet.

"You as big of a jerk as ever Sasuke." The blond replied now standing firmly on the ground, his face scrunched in a half glare half pout. It seemed as though Naruto had decided to refrain from flying for the near future, perhaps to avoid any more painful encounters with the floor.

"And yes I am a Shinigami a "Death God" as you so put it. Specifically the Vice Shinigami of the Land of Fire. Meaning I'm the second in command over the entire Fire Land region..." The blond reaper stated proudly, his face smug as though he had accomplished something great.

It just now that Sasuke notice that bound by a black circle was the Kanji for fire also in black on Naruto's orange shirt. And if Naruto were to turn around, there was on the back of his black leather jacket, the Kanji for the number 4 bound by a circle this time in the same day glow orange as his shirt.

'Well at least those markings now make some sense.' Sasuke thought to himself.

"How did that happen?" the Uchiha flatly asked

"It's a long story." The chibi shinigami replied. "But the short way is that Lord Enma felt sorry for me and also had a position open, apparently he thought I could be a great shinigami."

"I thought that if I couldn't be a shinobi anymore, than this was the next best thing." The blond death god related with a smile. His left hand brushing his hair in slight nervousness.

"Wow… I'm not easily impressed dobe but… well I guess you're not, too bad off considering you're dead."

Some of the brightness faded from Naruto's face.

"I guess, but I still really wanted to become a great ninja." The young reaper stated, he was unable to prevent a twinge of sadness from creeping into his voice.

Sasuke began to look around and realized he was in fact still standing in the endless white void he had been in for what he could assume was at least the past twenty or thirty minutes.

"So Dobe… If I'm not dead then why are you here anyway?" the Uchiha survivor asked the blond.

"He he... About that…" the blond nervously rubbed his head, while Sasuke's eyes narrowed into a glare.

"You're not dead, but you are well dying… you see before when I said you had a choice, you really do."

Sasuke's glare intensified. 'Not dead but I'm dying?' then what good was getting my hope up? The Uchiha fumed.

"When you were sorta giving up when you were falling in that abyss, you were… well choosing to die. I sota of interrupted that and told you that you have the choice to live or die… That is you have to fight Sasuke, you can't give up, or you will die." the blonde's voice had lost much of its sunny tone, Sasuke realize that the nervous blond was being dead serious.

"You mean the willingness to fight against death… like when someone's sick." Sasuke half asked.

"Yeah, that." The blond replied his tone almost somber.

"So you're saving me… saving my life… Isn't that completely the opposite of what a shinigami is supposed to do?"

"I'm not saving you… at least not in that way. All I'm doing is showing you that you have a choice, giving you the opportunity to make that choice… something **I never had**." The chibi shinigami had turned away from Sasuke his head tilted downwards. His voice had gone from sad to what Sasuke could only describe as bitter, and he couldn't blame Naruto. He didn't know all the details but from what he had heard, Naruto's injury was instantly fatal or nearly so. He wouldn't have had the choice that Sasuke apparently now had.

"So is that it?" The Uchiha asked.

Naruto turned around, his icy blue eyes dull and unreadable. The grin was gone from his face, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, pulling one out he placed it in his mouth, steadying it with his right hand. He brought his left hand up to the end and snapped his fingers creating a small flame that he used to light it.

The blonde shinigami, took a deep breath and then exhaled, creating a small cloud of smoke.

"Naruto you smoke?" The young Uchiha ask with a hint of surprise.

The blonde glanced up at Sasuke, his eyes almost glaring at him. Unusual behavior for the usually rambunctious boy the dark haired youth noted.

"What, Teme? Is gonna kill me?" the blonde responded sardonically, his voice having lost all cheer becoming flat and perhaps even more bitter.

Sasuke had at least the goodness of mind to try to appear a bit embarrassed. He shook his head before setting his gaze on the blonde once more.

"There was another reason I came, besides making sure you had the choice to not die, if you wanted it that is." The chibi death god stated, his tone had regained a bit of its former exuberance but now held a business like quality.

"I heard your thoughts, you desires, your goal. You want to kill your older brother, to avenge your family, all the people he killed right?"

Sasuke could merely nod as the shorter boy began to speak.

"But you almost died here. Not against Zabuza the Demon." Naruto spat the word demon like a curse. "But against his weaker student. Even if you continue to get stronger Sasuke, there will still be those stronger than you, at least at the time. They could kill you… Kill you in ways that you can't just choose your way out of. If you're going to make it to your brother, you're going to have to be strong and you're also going to have to be very lucky." Naruto stated this like it was simple fact something out of a book and unchangeable. As he did he turned around away from the black hair boy, showing off the symbol on his back. _**Shi**_.

Sasuke was angry at this point. Was the dobe saying that he wasn't good enough, that he couldn't kill Itachi?

"I'm not saying that you're not good enough or that you won't be. I'm saying that there are things like luck in it."

"And…" Naruto turned around, a smirk plastered on his face, the end of his smoke burning brightly.

"What if I were to make it so you didn't have to be lucky?" The blonde couldn't seem to keep the mischievous glee out of his voice.

"What are you talking about Naruto?" Sasuke had a slight idea of where the blonde might be going but he wanted to hear it from Naruto himself.

"What if I made it so you can't die, at least not before you kill you brother anyway." The blonde explained.

Sasuke as dumbfounded… He was uncertain if he could really comprehend what Naruto was really saying.

'Is he offering to make me…?'

"Are you saying that you can make me immortal?!" Sasuke breathed out, worried his voice would fail him.

"Immortal? What's that? Is it some kind of pickled thing? I really don't like those." Naruto whined his brow furrowed and his face scrunched in disgust as he thought back to accidently getting pickled vegetables with his ramen.

"Huh?" Sasuke looked at Naruto with a blank look not processing the blonde's response

"What I said Teme, was I could make it so you couldn't die, not from anything. Not getting stabbed or burned or chopped to pieces, or eating really, really bad ramen, will be able to kill you." The blonde replied.

"THAT'S WHAT I SAID TOO DOBE! I swear, you are the biggest idiot I've ever met. Immortal means you can't die, noodle brain. And seriously what's with you and ramen." The Uchiha huffed, though he did so good naturedly, he couldn't help it Naruto's offer of basically being invincible meant that nothing could stop him from getting revenge.

"Ramen is awesome. It's the food of the god's that's why!" The little blond reaper replied with far too much enthusiasm for his companion's taste.

"So you'll make me immortal, at least until after I've killed my brother. But what do you get out of this Naruto? I've read enough old legends as part of clan lessons before they all died to know that Spirits, Gods and Demons never give out something without wanting something in return. In other words what do you want from me Naruto?"

"Heh eheh eheheh eheh HEHHEH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH."

Sasuke, felt a dark chill run down his spine. Something was really wrong. That laugh was wrong. He had never heard anything like it, especially not from someone like Naruto. He turned around to see Naruto hunched over, he was still chuckling that horrible almost evil laugh.

The blonde was nearly strangling the sword in his right hand. His knuckles were white. And he just kept laughing in that dark creepy way.

Sasuke really didn't know what to make of the situation. He wasn't afraid, not of the idiot blonde. But Naruto's sudden change in behavior was enough to unnerve the normally stable Uchiha.

The blonde suddenly whirled around to face his companion, who was unnerved at what he saw. Naruto's face was split in what could only be described as a sneer, his unusually large canines were even more pointed than Sasuke remembered; the end of the cigarette clenched in them was burning at an unnaturally furious pace, glowing almost neon red.

And his eyes, his icy blue eyes seemed ever lighter in color, there was no warmth in them. Steely and piercing they bored into the young Uchiha and left him breathless. Not because they were unfamiliar, no because Sasuke knew those eyes; he saw them in the mirror every day.

"You're right of course Teme…" Sasuke though unfazed by the blonde's eyes did slightly flinch at his voice. It had changed, much like the venomous way in which Naruto spoke when the black haired youth was still falling through the darkness. Only it was worse this time. Caustic, poisonous, hate and malice unknowable dripped from every syllable that Naruto spoke.

The blonde reached up to his head. "There is something…" He removed his googles that were until then nested in his sunshine yellow hair. It was only then that Sasuke realize that under the goggles, concealed by the strap, was a long wrapped bandage that wound its way in a ring around Naruto's head.

The blonde let the googles slip from his hand, and to the Uchiha's surprise they burst into a cloud of blue flames when they struck the floor, leaving nothing behind.

"What I want…" Naruto began to unwrap the bandage, and slowly it fell from his golden locks. Sasuke nervously swallowed as he noticed the inner wrappings were stained a toxic looking reddish black.

"Is the same thing that you want…" the bandage fell to the floor turning to azure flames much like the goggles.

"Revenge…" the word dripped from Naruto's lips like a poison so virulent that it could slay the whole world. The blond tilted his head to the side turning around slightly…

Sasuke, had seen more than what he deserved of gore and carnage, having stepped across the bodies of his clan after the massacre at the tender age of 6. But this was so wrong, it was just sickening, seeing it on the dead was one thing but on someone "alive" was…

There in the back of Naruto's head was … a hole. An area a few inches wide where the skull simply caved in, crushed and broken. Small flecks of white bone could be seen protruding alongside the crushed flesh. The whole wound was oozing dead, blackened blood, staining the blonde's hair a sickly rotted color.

The young Uchiha realized in horror that it was the wound that had killed him. The place where the rock struck the young blond on that fateful day. I didn't heal, even in death. If anything it looked like it might be festering.

"I want revenge, revenge against those who did **this** to me." Naruto's voice oozing malice broke Sasuke from his thoughts.

"The bastards that thought it fun to hurl rocks and garbage at a defenseless child. Those people who just sat back and watched as I was hurt. The owners of the orphanage who practically starved me for the first 5 years of my life. The old bastard who just sat in his tower and did nothing to stop them. The ANBU in their so perfect and important duties who never stopped to help until I was already hurt."

Sasuke was felt a slight twinge of sadness, he knew Naruto was an orphan, much like he was now. Except Naruto had never known his family. He also didn't really know how badly the other boy was treated. He knew that the blonde played pranks on the villagers and that they retaliated with rocks and stones, but he never knew how bad it was. And from the way that Naruto was framing things it sounds like the rocks and glares came first and Naruto's pranks were done in an attempt to get even.

"I want them to suffer Sasuke. Like I did. And I want them to feel the same **end**. I want them to all **die**." These words were delivered with hate so black it was palpable.

"Except, I can't do that Sasuke. As ironic as it may be as a Shinigami, a Death God, I cannot kill. Sure there are exceptions. Trees and most animals don't count, but people? Nothing, they only become mine once they're already dead. Do you get it now Sasuke? I can't kill the people of Konoha, but **you **can." The young deity was now smirking a smile so lurid and vile that it would likely kill anything unfortunate to gaze upon it.

Sasuke now was a bit afraid. Naruto wanted all of Konoha to die? He wanted to destroy the whole village? No… correction he wanted Sasuke to destroy the Village, in exchange for being made immortal.

Sasuke wasn't sure he could do something like that. He hated his brother, loathed him with every fiber of his being but … to turn traitor and not just traitor but to murder his entire village? He… couldn't.

Naruto's offer was tempting but the price that came with it, was too high… and the price of betraying Naruto and not fulfilling his end of the deal would likely be even worse.

It seemed that the young death god sensed his companion's indecision or rather the rejection of his offer.

That when Naruto played his final card. The chibi shinigami spoke, this time his voice lacked the anger and malice from before and was lighter

"I'm not supposed to say things like this…" the blonde began to nervously ruffle the back of his hair.

"And truthfully, I don't really know much as it is… but apparently the Uchiha Massacre was not only Itachi's doing, someone in Konoha might have been pulling the strings, who and or why I don't know. I just know that you guys were apparently really big or important or something, so maybe someone had something to gain from you guys being gone. I seriously don't know any more than that thought, I promise Sasuke. I just thought you should know before we went into all of this." The blond finished his head falling like he was ashamed to have kept a dirty secret.

Naruto saw something flash across Sasuke's eyes, something dark, sinister. The kid death god smirked, he had done it. Gotten Sasuke to see things his way. The blonde glanced at the palm of his left hand, mentally checking things in his head. All there was left now was to seal the deal.

"I'll do it… I'll do it Naruto, you have a deal." The Uchiha gave a slightly defeated sigh, he could hardly believe that the ranks of Konoha itself were involved in his clan's destruction. But equally and perhaps even more unlikely the young heir thought was the idea of Naruto simply lying to get what he wanted. I just didn't seem like something the blonde would do, even to get his horrible revenge. And if Konoha had anything to do with the Uchiha Clan's demise they would pay. He'd kill them all… for Naruto and himself.

"So shall we get started?" Naruto was smiling again. Not the evil smile from before but his more mischievous smile from earlier.

Sasuke turned to face the blond.

"Hold out your hand." The sun haired deity said.

Sasuke did as he was ask and no sooner had he done so than had Naruto drawn his sword and slashed Sasuke across his palm.

"Fuck!" the dark haired boy groaned more from the surprise than anything.

"Now Teme, watch your mouth!" the younger tisked before slicing his own right palm on the blade.

The blonde then took the sword, which Sasuke now recognized as a katana – a bit one that was slightly shorter than normal, likely to fit Naruto's 12 year old body – and thrust it into the ground with his left hand.

"Now for the fun part", the blond giggled more to himself than to Sasuke.

Naruto took one last long drag on his cigarette before tossing at the base of the impaled blade, which suddenly ignited in a flash of fire. The flames, the same azure color as those formed by Naruto's goggles when they dissolved, flowed from the blade across the ground. They traced out lines, circles and characters on the floor. Sasuke soon recognized it as a large seal of some kind.

He was however more concerned with the blue fire that was now licking at his ankles. He was certain it was flame but it felt no warmer than a bath. Before he could further examine the fire, Naruto caught his attention.

"Okay Sasuke, just follow what I do and say what feels right, and it will work." The blond smiled at him. This time it was a smile of a trouble maker but one of someone that simply wanted you as their friend.

Naruto started speaking his voice deadly serious.

"From now on we are partners Uchiha, I Naruto Uzumaki, Vice Shinigami of the Land of Fire hereby swear this to you Sasuke. You cannot and will not die, until such time as Itachi is dead by your hand."

Naruto then clenched his right hand causing blood to run and drip from it into the flames. At once there was a roar as the fire leapt upward and turn blood red.

Naruto nodded to Sasuke who in turn recited his half of the bargain.  
"And I Sasuke Uchiha, Last of the Uchiha swear this to you Naruto. In return for your power I will avenge you by destroying the Village that murdered you." "I will destroy Konoha."

Sasuke squeezed his right hand, gritting his teeth in pain as the blood dripped down into the fire, the flames changing yet again with another roar, this time to an electric red violet almost fuchsia color.

Naruto then stepped forward hand outstretched as Sasuke did the same. The blood on their hands began to glow the same violet color as the flames below. As they moved closer pinkish sparks began to leap between the hands of the human and the death god, some of the droplets suspended themselves caught outside of gravity in the field of energy.

Their hands connected. Sasuke felt a white hot searing pain, like fire and electricity enter through the cut in his hand and run up through his arm before dulling to a pleasant warmth as it spread throughout his body.

When the young Uchiha again opened his eyes he saw that the flames had vanished. Looking toward his companion Naruto only smiled as he began to pull his hand away from Sasuke's. As their hands parted a group of sparks began to outline the edges of the cuts, and then before Sasuke's eyes they began to almost sew the cuts on their hands closed the sparks bridging the ever increasing distance connecting them as the edges of the wounds shrank to nothing. When the sparking bridging between their hands broke, the wounds finally winked out of existence, like they were never there.

Naruto kept smiling at his "friend" as he simply said "It's done Sasuke, from this point on you can't die, until you kill your brother."

"So Naruto exactly how am I supposed to get back to the bridge?" The blue garbed boy asked his orange companion.

"Oh that… Heheheh. That's the easy part." The blonde replied.

Sasuke turned around, expecting an explanation.

"See ya around Teme!" Naruto yelled with a smirk before delivering a mean punch to Sasuke's gut.

The black haired boy had only time to feel the pain of the wind being knocked from him before his vision swam and he saw no more.

**June 4****th**** 11:33 AM (Present Day) – Land of Waves – Great Bridge.**

Sasuke simply gasped, his lungs screaming for air. The cool mist on his skin and the wet ground against his back told him all that he need to know. He was back on the bridge.

'That damn Naruto why the Hell did he have to punch me like that?' the dark haired genin thought irately.

He opened his eyes and through them he glimpsed the ice mirrors that Haku had conjured earlier. He was back. He was still in this he could win. These thoughts raced through Sasuke's mind as he struggled to get up and on to his feet.

"I thought I had finished you." An icy cold voice called from one of the mirrors.

Sasuke's mind was in a panic he had to get up. Even with Naruto's gift, if Haku managed to somehow prevent him from moving or worse toss him off the bridge he would be in deep trouble.

Even if he couldn't die, that didn't matter if he was made so he couldn't fight.

"Apparently I was wrong." Stated the masked boy as he emerged from one of the mirrors behind Sasuke.

"I'll have to make sure of it this time. If you could survive a strike to the heart you are far too dangerous to be left alive." The masked nin stated as he palmed five new senbon.

It was then in that moment that Sasuke felt it. Like white hot warmth, lightning in his veins, it wasn't painful but it wasn't pleasant either. It surged through him with every pulse of his heart. He saw it as well as felt it, the needles that covered his body, began to quiver and then they were altogether pushed out of his body as he healed. The magenta sparks, he remembered from the ceremony streaming around from wound to wound as muscle and skin were made as new, unblemished. Some of the senbon were forced from his body at great speed bouncing across the surface of the bridge.

Haku watched what transpired with both curiosity and fear.

'What is the boy? He's…He's healing… my senbon are being pushed from his body. Just what is he?'

It was only now that Sasuke realized that although the wounds themselves had healed the numbness had not worn off. He still couldn't move and was stuck flat on his back.

The mask ninja jumped from the uppermost mirror straight above his opponent. He readied himself to strike all of his enemy's vital points.

'I must stop him now before he fully recovers or else all might be lost' Haku thought to himself.

As Sasuke watched his masked enemy descend he could only glare back with eyes filled with undaunted hatred. He felt it burning all encompassing. This stupid fuck was trying to take everything he still held dear. All to protect Zabuza, a murderous traitor to his country.

He was trying to take his revenge. The revenge of his family of his clan. Naruto's revenge and Sasuke's own pride as a ninja.

"I'm not going to let you do this. You cannot take away my revenge, my goals, my mission. Why won't you just **DIE?**!" Sasuke screamed.

It was as if someone had thrust a white hot knife it his head and twisted it. His head, his whole being felt like it was going to explode. His left eye felt like it had been pierced, it was on fire. His vision swam. He could feel and from his other eye see the pink sparks dancing across his left eye, likely healing whatever injury it had sustained. As the pain began to fade so did Sasuke's consciousness. He greeted the black void like an old friend.

The ice mirrors flashed to steam, boiled away by the solar heat of the jet black flames that exploded from a point near the ground. Haku didn't even have time to scream he was vaporized, turned to ash by the hellish heat as the column of black fire erupted outwards, evaporating the lingering mist.

Just seconds later in the now revealed light of day, Zabuza's own life ended as Kakashi thrust a lightning covered hand through his chest.

**7600 Words! I guess you can consider this double to nearly triple sized chapter as a gift for me promising it would be out early and not fulfilling it.**

**I know the last chapter was well crap… I apologize for that. It's just really difficult to elegantly compress the entire Wave Arc, minus the ending fight into 1600-1800 words. Furthermore wave is done to death and then some in Naruto fan fiction. I'm honestly sick of it, so that's another reason why I'm trying to skim over it. The only reason I used it in the first place is that actually provides a near death experience for Sasuke in canon, which gives me a much better jump off point than if I were to make one myself. Also I really just wanted to blow through it so I could get here, to the meat of the story. Given time I may go back and clean up Ch 1, or maybe I'll just leave it as is.**

**HOLY CRAP… O_O' …. It's official:**

_**The Paper Fan and The Death God **_**was not even yet 2 days old and it already had more views than my other 7 stories had in March combined. It's within a stone's throw of nearly 1 ½ as many. As of now PFDG has 442 views and the combined March totals for all my other stories is 243. That's simply ludicrous. I'm not sure if it's just because the Naruto fandom is just larger (Which I assume is a major factor) and/or people really just like the idea of this story. Either way, I'm still stunned. Stunned enough to upload Chapter 3? Ummm… No I need sleep. Perhaps Sunday, if I can figure out what direction I'm going to send the story in. **

**Yes Sasuke did gain his ****Mangekyō Sharingan and yes he did use Amaterasu to kill Haku. The feelings of loss of his family of his dream and of Naruto as a friend did that. No he will not be using it often. In fact he didn't even know he used it nor does he know how to use it. He might figure it out eventually but not for several more chapters (8+). He might use it accidently a few more times in the more recent future thought I just have to see how it all works out.**

**I'm thinking I'll shift some of the timing for some of the filler episodes (Since there won't be a Sasuke Retrieval Arc) and put them before the Chunin exam arc. I'm definitely doing the Kubisaki Castle Episode. How hilarious is it going to be to have a Shinigami that's terrified of Ghosts? (If you note this story is both Angst and Humor a weird combination I know). As many people have likely noticed I'm trying keep the characters in character as much as possible (And failing horribly with Sasuke I know). That mean's ultimately that although Naruto is now a Shinigami with vast powers and a nasty grudge, most of the time he's still well … Naruto. In other words instead of being a lovable rambunctious idiotic ninja, he's a lovable rambunctious idiotic death god. Which is why for instance he understood the concept behind immortality but had no idea of the actual word itself. He's also still a prankster. In fact the other day I had vision of him causing mayhem in Konoha by temporarily waking the ghosts of the dead to the tune of the Numa Numa dance. I nearly snorted my ice tea. Once I regained my faculties I soon dismissed the idea as being just **_**too**_** silly. So yes this story is going to be much like the canon in that it switches from comedy to serious and Vic versa. **

**So this is Johannes The Egg Emperor Signing off. Stay tuned for Chapter 3: **_I ain't afraid of no Ghosts_


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